FOREWORD 



In the last few years, a broadening public interest has developed in this 

 Nation and the world in the preservation and enhancement of the physical 

 environment. During the last two years the "energy crisis" has greatly increased 

 the awareness of energy conservation. These concerns and the awareness thereof 

 have been reflected in a recent outpouring of books, magazines, and newspaper 

 articles, television specials and other pronouncements through the mass media 

 which have raised serious questions about the way our modern technological 

 society has impacted on our land, air, and water resources. The record volume 

 of legislation which has been enacted in the last decade to deal with numerous 

 environmental problems is an indication of the strong Congressional response 

 in this important legislative area. Beginning with the 92nd Congress, numerous 

 statutes were enacted to conserve and expand our Nation's resources in the 

 fields of energy and the preservation of our environment. 



The Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries has a long history of 

 direct involvement in environmental and conservation legislation. Increasing 

 committee activities during the last few years has made clear the need for a 

 comprehensive compilation of both early and recently enacted legislation. The 

 Congressional Research Service has compiled the significant laws related to fish 

 and wildlife, oceanography, and environmental quality. The energj^ conservation 

 laws were added to this edition. These areas were chosen because of their impact 

 on the total quality of our environment and because they represent areas of 

 interest and concern to the Committee. 



This compilation was not prepared simply as a chronological collection of 

 enactments. It attempts to provide the reader with all of the major laws 

 presently in force in these areas. 



This revision has been rearranged to present the material under fourteen 

 titles as follows: Title I, Air Pollution; Title II, Environment, Generally ;'Y'i\.\e\\l, 

 Executive Orders; Title IV, Fish and Wildlife Conservation (provisions relating 

 to both fish and wildlife) ; Title V, Fish Resources, Preservation (provisions 

 relating to fish and fisheries only); Title VI Fishermen; Title VII, Fishing 

 Vessels; Title VIII, Oceanography; Title IX, Pollution Control-Financing; 

 Title X, Radiation Hazards; Title XI, Water Pollution; Title XII, Water 

 Resources; Title XIII, Wildlife Preservation (provisions relating to wildlife 

 only) ; and Title XIV, Interstate Compacts. 



Provisions which logically could be placed under several titles are cross- 

 referenced to the title under which the text of the provisions appear in order 

 to avoid iluplication. All related laws which have been codified in the United 

 States Code have been extracted and placed under various subject headings 

 within citations corresponding to the 1970 edition of the Code and Supplements 

 of the edition. 



For the convenience of the reader, the table of contents has been broken 

 into three groupings: (1) popular name, (2) a statutory reference guide as to 

 title and section of the United States Code, and (3) general index by subject for 

 each title. 



The user is also advised to consult both the 1970 edition of the United 

 States Code and the available Supplements for detailed research purposes since 

 many minor editorial deletions have been made in preparing this compilation 

 to facilitate continuity, brevity, and clarity. 



(V) 



